The present invention relates to sanitary absorbent articles such as feminine sanitary napkins, incontinence pads, panty liners, tampons and diapers among others and, more particularly, to sanitary absorbent articles featuring a visual reference system that allows the user to quickly ascertain a characteristic of the sanitary absorbent article, such as the liquid absorption capacity, the configuration, and the type of material used in the manufacture of the sanitary absorbent article, among others. Under a different aspect, the invention provides a reminder tag that can facilitate the selection and purchase of a sanitary absorbent article by the user in a place where sanitary articles are offered for sale.
Sanitary absorbent articles are large-scale commercially manufactured articles used to absorb and retain bodily exudates. Such articles are convenient in that they are economical yet disposable; they include sanitary napkins, infant diapers, adult incontinence pads, panty liners, tampons and the like.
Sanitary absorbent articles and particularly feminine sanitary napkins are made available to the consumer in receptacles containing a plurality of sanitary napkins. Traditionally, the industry has used receptacles in the form of cardboard boxes. In more recent years the cardboard box has gradually been replaced by a bag of plastic material. The sanitary napkins held in a receptacle, either a cardboard box or a bag of plastic material are individually packaged. This feature allows the user to transport a sanitary napkin outside the protective environment of the receptacle, such as in a purse or pocket, while keeping the sanitary napkin free from dirt, stains or impurities. The typical packaging is in the form of a pouch of plastic material in which the sanitary napkin is placed. Immediately before use, the wearer removes the sanitary napkin from the pouch and installs it in the crotch portion of the undergarment. The pouch is then discarded.
A user normally keeps at home a supply of sanitary napkins having different characteristics to meet the different requirements that may arise during the menstrual cycle. For example, during light menstrual days, the user will normally employ a sanitary napkin of a comparatively small liquid absorption capacity. Such a sanitary napkin has a reduced size and is comfortable to wear. During heavier menstrual flow days, the user will wear a larger sanitary napkin that offers an increased liquid absorption capacity. During the night, the user may elect to use sanitary napkins designed especially for nighttime. Nighttime products are longer and offer an exceptionally high liquid absorption capacity. At the end of the menstrual cycle or between menstrual cycles, the user will rely on a panty liner designed to retain primarily vaginal discharges other than menstrual liquid.
In addition to the various levels of liquid absorption capacity, sanitary napkins can be functionally distinguished from one another on the basis of other characteristics, such as their configuration and the materials used for their construction. For example, sanitary napkins are available with or without flaps. When a sanitary napkin has flaps, the flaps can be folded about the crotch portion of the undergarment to aid in stabilizing the sanitary napkin in use. Sanitary napkins having different geometrical shapes or forms exist to better fit the anatomy of the wearer. Finally, sanitary napkins with different types of body contacting layers are available to suit the preferences of the consumers. In particular, some users prefer a body-contacting layer made of fibrous material while others prefer a body-contacting layer made of polymeric film.
The wide variety of sanitary napkins that are presently available in the marketplace has the undesirable effect of confusing the consumer. This problem is compounded by ever increasing product diversification. Different manufacturers offer different product brands featuring unique characteristics. Although this approach provides sanitary napkins that are precisely tailored to the needs of the user, the identification of the product that best meets the individual needs becomes a challenge.
A particular problem occurs when the user carries in her purse or pocket one or more individually packaged sanitary napkins. Since the packaging (pouch) found on sanitary napkins today is opaque, a simple visual inspection of the pouch will not reveal to the user the characteristics of the sanitary napkin in the package, such as its liquid absorption capacity, configuration or type of material used in the construction of the sanitary napkin, among others. The user is left with the option of removing the sanitary napkin from the pouch to ascertain if it is of the type she now requires. However, the removal of the sanitary napkin from the pouch usually results in the destruction of the pouch. If it turns out that the sanitary napkin is of a type unsuitable for the immediate need, the sanitary napkin is wasted.
To alleviate this problem, manufacturers have in the past applied on individually packaged sanitary napkins a written notice that informs the user of the liquid absorption capacity of the sanitary napkin. In theory, such written notice should suffice to provide the user with the information she seeks on the level of liquid absorption of the sanitary napkin. In practice, this is not always the case since manufacturers use different terminology to designate different levels of liquid absorption. For instance, one manufacturer may use wording like xe2x80x9clightxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cheavyxe2x80x9d while a different manufacturer may prefer the terminology xe2x80x9cminixe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cregularxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csuperxe2x80x9d. Accordingly, a written notice alone is of somewhat abstract nature to the user and fails to provide the user with precise information on the liquid absorption capacity.
Considering this background, it clearly appears that there is a need in the industry to develop an improved visual reference system that would permit the user to more easily identify a certain characteristic of a sanitary absorbent article.
Under a first broad aspect, the present invention provides a receptacle holding a plurality of sanitary absorbent articles, at least one of the sanitary absorbent articles being placed in an individual package. The individual package includes a visual reference system. The visual reference system includes two elements of information, namely a first element of information and a second element of information. The first element of information is indicative of a scale of reference establishing a range of values of a certain characteristic of the sanitary absorbent article in the individual package. The second element of information is indicative of a certain degree or level on the scale of reference.
The advantage of the visual reference system resides in the additional information provided to the user by the scale of reference. The scale of reference provides a context into which the second element of information is more meaningful than when the second element of information is presented alone.
The first and the second elements of information are realized by creating markings on the package such as to make the first and the second elements of information visually perceptible and understandable by the user. The intended information can be delivered to the user in a number of ways, such as in the form of a written notice, in the form of pictographs (iconic symbols) or a combination of both. In a non-limiting example of implementation, the first element of information may be a collection of words, each word expressing a certain degree on the scale of reference. The second element of information points to a particular degree on the scale of reference. This can be achieved by highlighting the word in the collection of words that corresponds to the particular degree.
The markings can be applied on the package by printing, embossing, die-cutting, application of a discrete label on which the markings are realized or, in general, by any other physical change in the form or character of the package such as to make the markings visually noticeable and understandable to the user.
In a specific non-limiting example of implementation, the first and the second elements of information are related to the absorbency characteristics of the sanitary absorbent article, in particular the liquid absorption capacity of the sanitary absorbent article. The first element of information defines a range of liquid absorption capacities while the second element of information points toward a certain degree or level on that range.
Under a second broad aspect, the invention provides a receptacle holding a plurality of sanitary absorbent articles, at least one of the sanitary absorbent articles is placed in an individual package. The individual package includes an element of information representative of a characteristic of the sanitary absorbent article, the characteristic being selected in the group consisting of the geometrical configuration of the sanitary absorbent article and a material used in the manufacture of the sanitary absorbent article. In a specific non-limiting example of implementation, the sanitary absorbent article is a sanitary napkin. The element of information conveys to the user information regarding the arrangement or formation of the parts of the sanitary napkin, such as whether the sanitary napkin has flaps or whether the sanitary napkin is flat or curved, among other possibilities. In a variant, the element of information informs the user about the type of material from which the body contacting layer of the sanitary napkin is made, in particular fibrous material or polymeric film. In another variant, the element of information communicates to the user a certain characteristic of the material used in the manufacture of the external layer of the sanitary napkin (usually called xe2x80x9cbarrier layerxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cbarrier sheetxe2x80x9d). In particular, this characteristic can be whether the external layer is breathable or not.
Under a third broad aspect, the invention provides a receptacle holding a plurality of sanitary absorbent articles, at least one of the sanitary absorbent articles is placed in an individual package. A removable reminder tag is associated with the receptacle. The reminder tag has a substrate on which is realized an element of information. A matching element of information is realized on an external surface of the receptacle. When the user wants to purchase sanitary absorbent articles from the store, she takes with her the reminder tag from the empty receptacle at home. The user selects the proper brand and category of sanitary absorbent articles simply by locating the receptacle on the shelves that has an element of information matching the element of information on the reminder tag.
In a non-limiting example of implementation, the reminder tag is a discrete label. The reminder tag is associated with the receptacle by removably affixing the label to the individual package placed in the receptacle. This can be effected by using adhesive on the label that establishes a non-permanent bond with the individual package. Alternatively, the reminder tag is associated with the receptacle by placing the reminder tag within the receptacle without affixing it to any one of the sanitary absorbent articles, nor to the receptacle walls. In another variant, the association between the reminder tag and the receptacle is made by making the reminder tag as part of the receptacle itself. Under this possibility, the reminder tag could be delineated by tear lines that assist the user in separating the tag from the remainder of the receptacle, or the reminder tag could be delineated by a scissors-line, such as a dotted line printed on the receptacle indicating to the user where to cut the wall of the receptacle with scissors so as to free the reminder tag.
The element of information realized on the reminder tag can be descriptive of one or more characteristics of the sanitary absorbent article. For instance, the element of information can specify either in writing, by pictographs (iconic symbols) or a combination of both the liquid absorption capacity of the sanitary absorbent article, the arrangement or formation of the parts of the sanitary absorbent article and information pertaining to the type of materials used in the construction of the sanitary absorbent article. Alternatively, the element of information can be totally abstract and provide only a mark that the user can visually associate with a corresponding mark on the receptacle to establish a match.